Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

88 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTreport of a gun, being sharp and hud, travels considerablyfaster than this for a short distance, butthe above table is a close enough approximation forthe purposes of sketch mapping.Distances on Rivers.—Floating down a riverof fairly regular current, one may estimate distancespretty closely by keeping his boat in midstream andtiming it from point to point.Landmarks.—My sketches show how landmarksare noted along the route. In the wild and uninhabitedcountry beyond our house I would havenoted old camp grounds, gaps, bad thickets, cliffs,etc., in a similar way. Where the forest and contoursare of uniform character, one should establishhere and there, some artificial marks. Where treeblazing is not permitted, blazed stakes may be driven,bush-marks made, stones piled, and so on, accordingtocircumstances.Written notes will help anyone who is to followthe route. The examples here printed were madefor a friend who wanted to visit me, but who couldnot foretell, a day in advance, when he could getaway from business. After directing him to get aU. S. Geological Survey topographical sheet for thecountry south of us, which was accurate up to theplace where my sketch map began, I wrote him:There are two ways to our place. One is a wagonroad over which a team can haul one thousandpounds when Jupiter isn't pluviating. There areeighteen fords in the last six miles. The creek isimpassable for a few hours after a smart rain. Ford10 ("the deep ford") always wets a, wagon bed. Ford12, at the Perry gap, is dangerous when there is ice.No footbridge between Hunnicut's and McCracken's,nor any habitation.The other way is by trail across the mountainfrom Hunnicut's, This is always practicable for amountain-bred horse or mule with light pack, but hemust do some sliding down from either the Mc-Cracken gap or the Fullback.Trail at Hunnicut's stable swerves sharply to theright, up a steep bank, and thence onward goesthrough thick forest^ At McCracken gap our fork